Better the second time around? Microsoft plots Surface 2 announcement for Sept. 23

Apple may have the tech world fixated on the long-awaited release of the iPhone 5S (and maybe 5C) tomorrow, but Microsoft wants you to turn your attention on another target: the Surface 2.

Despite universally disappointing reviews on the Pro version of its original Surface and dismal sales, Microsoft will announce a new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 on September 23. The news won’t come as much of a surprise to Surface enthusiasts (if they exist) since Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang already let the cat out of the bag last month on an upcoming Surface sequel.

So what’s in store for the next version of Microsoft’s ill-fated Surface? According to Neowin, the Pro version will pack more RAM, a “refined” kickstand, and perhaps most importantly, a Haswell Core i5 processor from Intel, which should help address complaints about battery life. We’ve also heard a docking station for the Pro is in the works, along with a “power cover” to further extend battery life.

As for the Surface 2, Neowin reports the latest Nvidia Tegra 4 processor, along with a 1080p screen.

Given the October 17 release date for Windows 8.1, you can also expect both machines to run the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system, and perhaps for the launch to coincide with that date.